A stepped automatic transmission is sometimes installed in a work vehicle such as a wheel loader. The shift control devices for such work vehicles known in the related art include those that apply a brake with a braking force corresponding to the extent to which the accelerator pedal has been operated in response to a forward/reverse switchover operation and actually switches gears between forward and reverse in the automatic transmission as the vehicle speed becomes reduced to a predetermined speed by closing at throttle valve (see patent reference literature 1). This type of shift control device adjusts the degree of openness of the throttle valve when the vehicle speed becomes further reduced to substantially zero so that the degree of openness corresponds to the extent to which the accelerator pedal has been operated.
Patent reference literature 1: Japanese Laid Open Patent Publication No. H4-123939